Time Stands Still
by EmmaRiddleDaughteroftheDark
Summary: “It can’t get any worse.” I could hear his whisper. Then he lifted the gun back up over Sean’s shoulder. I could see through the black shaft. Right at me… His fingers were tightening around the trigger and I could feel the tears about to fall down my face


I still have nightmares about what happened. I'll always remember how he looked when he… caught sight of us. He was walking down the hall, some feathers still drifting off and landing on the ground lightly, when he spotted Toby, Sean, and I. In his eyes, even from afar, I could see my reflection. Pursuing his first instinct he changed course and started to walk toward us in excruciatingly slow strides. The gun gleamed in his hand, trembling slightly from the power Rick asserted onto its handle.

"Hi Emma." He said in that tone. That tone floats around my dreams, surrounding me in a bath of fear. I could feel my eyes widen of their own accord with each step he took. Through his paint smeared glasses were the eyes of a killer. They were dancing under the florescent lights of the hallway, making each step he took towards his prize of revenge last and echo. "I'm sorry I kissed you." He was mocking me now. My mouth slightly open, I tried to yell for help, to yell for him to stop, or to cry a strangled sob and fall to my knees, succumbing to his relaxed gun. Sean tried to steer me away. He could feel what Rick wanted to do with that gleaming gun.

"C'mon, he has a gun." He whispered. Toby was just as shocked as I was. He had said something earlier… but I couldn't listen. The gun was calling my name.

"DON'T TURN FROM ME." Yelled Rick. Like a robot, I swerved back to face him. Sean's hands were still on my shoulders offering comfort and he pulled me slowly behind him. I was surprised to say the least. If he would be shot on account of me, I could never face Ellie again.

I don't believe Rick wanted an obstacle to me and his face contorted with a sort of fury. Sean was trying to talk him into putting down the gun. I had such faith in him. "It can get worse." He told him. Toby could see him lower the gun back down more to his side and looked relieved. "This'll make it worse." Rick wouldn't believe him. He shut his eyes before looking through his smeared vision at Sean's hopeful face.

"It can't get any worse." I could hear his whisper. Then he lifted the gun back up over Sean's shoulder where I could see through the black shaft. Right at me… His fingers were tightening around the trigger and I could feel the tears about to fall down my face. But then, Sean defended me yet again. He pulled Rick towards him, and in the act of doing so; the gun was pushed down between them.

Both their eyes were open as they struggled, and Rick's gaze was still transfixed on me. That's when the shot fired. I screamed in despair. Not being able to see Sean's face, Rick's was all we watched. His eyes were wide in shock and they both stumbled, falling to the floor together. Neither was moving, and a pool of blood was collecting around them.

The warm blood was painting Sean's body and I fell to my knees, crawling over to them. As I neared their bodies, Sean moved slightly away from the psycho freak that did this. His left arm was bleeding pretty profusely but with relief I saw the rest of him was intact. But the blood that seeped through to his pale, perfect body… I noticed with a gasp that Rick lay unblinking, looking at me, his eyes accusing. And the water my eyes held all fell until no more tears could come. It was all my fault. Sean could have died! I could have died! Toby, and Spinner, and Jimmie, and everybody could have died because I couldn't just pretend to like him for one day until he calmed down.

Sean was trembling as he pulled me into an enveloping, comforting hug. I still knew tears were sliding down onto his shirt, staining it with mascara, and I knew that blood still trickled from his wound and from extra amounts of Rick's blood staining my shirt. But at that moment I didn't care. Every single thing we had done in the past and just vanished as he held me. I knew I was safe in his arms.


End file.
